Use The Power of Imagination to Boost Your Creativity

Man can create anything he can imagine.

Imagination—our ability to create images not available to the sensory system—is arguably our greatest faculty for evolving human consciousness. In order to transform ourselves and our world, we need to be able to leap out of the familiar and into the unknown.

"Ideas are intangible forces, but they have more power than the physical brains that give birth to them. They have the power to live on, after the brain that creates them has returned to dust." Napoleon Hill, Think & Grow Rich

Imagination is Think and Grow Rich fifth step towards riches and success in life. It is through imagination wherein desire is crystallized into reality. Mr. Hill discussed in this chapter how man’s only limitation lies in the development and use of his imagination. Even after more than 70+ years after Think and Grow Rich was first released in 1937 and 100+ years after the idea was born, it is still the source of motivation, inspiration and success principle for so many…

A Universe Of Possibilities

I am so frustrated when I hear people describe themselves as not creative. If you consider it, each sentence we utter is a creative act. In fact, every problem, every product and every moment in our lives is an opportunity for creativity.

I just picked up a book from Tina Seelig, InGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity, and she said something that really resonated with me: "Creativity is an endless resource, and we can tap into it at any time."

Innovation Engine

Seelig offers a new creativity model, that she calls the "Innovation Engine," to explain how ingenuity is generated and fostered. Chapter-by-chapter she explains specific tools, techniques and conditions that together enhance creativity in individuals, teams and organizations.

Her approach to unlocking creativity is a holistic one. Her model has six parts – three that come from inside of you (knowledge, imagination and attitude) and three that are generated by the environment in which you live (culture, resources and habitat).

"These are not isolated factors. You have to look at them in concert," Seelig said.

Knowledge, imagination and attitude overlap and are internal because they reside in the mind. Knowledge is the toolbox for your imagination; your imagination is the catalyst for the transformation of your knowledge into new ideas; and your attitude provides you with the drive needed to push through difficult problems.

On the other side, culture, habitat, and resources are of the outside world. Culture, habitat, and resources influence the process by which imagination catalyzes the transformation of knowledge into ideas. Thus the individual and the environment are interdependent in interesting and non-obvious ways and essential for creative problem solving.

Inventive Solutions

Seelig said both imagination and innovation can be fostered in a few simple ways.

Look at things from a new perspective. According to Seelig, we often allow our imagination to dwindle as we age. One of the way we do that, is by asking ourself constraining questions such as: 5 +5 = ?

“There is only one right answer. Really creative people don’t look at the world like this. They look at problems through different lenses and they reframe the problem,” said Seelig. Instead, creative people ask questions like this: ? + ? = 10

Reframing the question this way, opens up the parameters and allows for an infinite number of inventive answers.

Rethinking of failure as research. Even under pressure, you must not be afraid of failure, said Seelig. You can always gain knowledge from unexpected results. This way you won't won't fear being innovative, just in case things don't come out the way they are expected to.

"We all have creativity within us," Seelig argues, "and there are endless opportunities to use it."

Watch this TedX talk by Tina Seelig on unlocking creativity. Seelig will take you through her innovation model and the various components needed for creativity.

About Maverick-Dean Creative Group

Maverick-Dean Creative Group is a creative strategy and development team based in Austin, TX. We help businesses utilize the creative process to generate and implement ideas that create stronger connections between their customers, products, and organizations. Learn more

Do you have a creative challenge?

We’d love to hear from you! In addition to project collaborations and strategic consulting, we offer customized consumer and product research, trend reports, creative development workshops, and speaking engagements.

Contact us to learn how we we can help design and develop solutions that connect.